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Waterproof Crushproof Tic-Tac Matchbox

Introduction: Waterproof Crushproof Tic-Tac Matchbox

As a Boy Scout and staffer at Camp Wanocksett in New Hampshire, I have learned a lot of tips and tricks over the years for ways to make do with what you have for equipment to get you what you need. One of my dilemmas that I once had occurred when I need a small matchbox to carry my matches that wouldn't bend or break any matches in my pack. The solution came from a half full Tic-Tac box, and a mostly empty 250 count matchbox. With a little bit of crafty skill, I brought everything together to make a waterproof tic-tac matchbox for all to enjoy, especially when you don't need 250 matches, and you want is some good matches with good matchheads.

I have submitted this into the Coleman Camping Challenge Contest, so if you like what you see, vote for my 'ible in the contest.

WARNING: This project involves using super glue, which shouldn't be used by big buffoons, whatever a buffoon is. Honestly, you can use rubber cement instead, so it doesn't really matter.

Step 1: Materials

To make this awesome matchbox, you will need:

• 1 Large Tic-Tac container
• 1 Empty box of matches, preferably a 250 count match box, or a waterproof match box
• A Small bottle of Super-Glue, Rubber Cement, or other glue that works on plastic
• A Pair of Scissors
• Approximately 30 Matches, any kind of your choice, but I prefer the "Kitchen Matches" because of their large match head, and long burning time.

Optional: Goo Gone, to help remove the Tic Tac sticker

Step 2: Eat Tic Tacs

Nom. Nom Nom. Who doesn't like Tic-Tacs? Not anyone that I know.

On a side note, it is extremely hard to take a picture of a full box of tic-tacs, because it is impossible to bring home tic-tacs with you to your camera with out eating at least half of them. Try it for yourself. It's hard.

Step 3: Remove Label

If you are lazy/don't care/don't have Goo Gone, now what you need to do is peel off the label on the tic-tac container. It is very simple. Use your fingernails.

If you are OCD like me and you dislike having sticky residue on your match box, you need to retrieve your bottle of Goo Gone, spread a large drop onto the surface of the label, and after waiting for a minute or two, just easily peel it off using, once again, your fingernail. If there is still some sticky residue, then you can easily wash it off with soap and water in the sink, but remember to dry it completely.

Step 4: Remove the Match Striker From Your Empty Matchbox

So here is the step where we use a little bit of scissor mastery. To remove the striker from your matchbox, take your scissors and cut out the striker from the matchbox, leaving a little bit of room around the magnesium (Cut a little outside the red part). Then cut the striker to the size of the front of the matchbox, saving any excess for potential future projects.

Now repeat using the second striker, unless you are keen on making two matchboxes, which is fine, but remember you are using a used striker and used strikers don't work well for more than 100 strikes, so your match box will last longer if you use two strikers.

* If you are using small waterproof match strikers, you can cut them to the size of the sides of the tic-tac box as opposed to the front or back. (Hopefully that was obvious, but just in case...)

Step 5: Glue Your Striker to the Tic-Tac Container

Now it's gluing time!!!The Super Glue Way
Carefully apply your super glue to the back of the striker in small dots of glue, placing a dot at each corner, a dot at each midpoint along the sides of the striker, and at least one dot in the middle. Now slowly lay your striker glue side down onto the container centered as well as you can.

Gluing Using Rubber Cement
If you don't have any super glue, or it is a little too dangerous for you, you can instead use rubber cement. To glue it on simply brush a small amount onto the back of the sriker covering the entire surface, and brush a small amount onto the front on the container. Then lay the striker glue side to glue side on the container, and slide the striker into perfect place.

At this point, you are done with your match box! Now all you gotta do is add matches!!! (which by the way is the next step)

* REMEMBER * Super Glue can be dangerous as it is very effective at gluing parts of your skin to other things when you accidentally touch the glue. So be careful, and you should be fine. Because of this, it is always good to have adult supervision if you don't have experience using super glue.

Step 6: Insert Your Matches in Your New Matchbox

This is the final step. DON"T SCREW UP NOW!
Enough messing around, to finish the matchbox, remove the "Individual Tic-Tac Dispenser" (the white thingy at the top of the container that stop's the Tic-Tacs from falling out, or from coming out too fast when poured. Then neatly lay as many new 'kitchen matches' as you can fit in the container while still leaving the matches with enough wiggle room to be poured out, and leaving room around the rim to replace the lid or the "Individual Tic-Tac Dispenser". Now carefully place the lid to the container, and if there is still room for a few more matches, you can open the top and put a couple more in.

That is it. Now you can use your new matchbox while watching my attempt to light a match on my matchbox (Or not, your probably watching this indoors). Your new matchbox can be used anywhere that you want a small durable matchbox, such as camping, backpacking, canoeing, and many other outdoor as well as civilian applications.

So have fun. But don't get your finger glued to your face, or burn yourself, because that's no fun.

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25 Comments

As to all the above comments about lighters vs. matches: Cub Scouts are not allowed to carry lighters. And as a long time smoker, lighters can fail for one reason or another. When you can it is best to carry both. (Or all 3 ((flint & steel.) I'm going to make one soon for camp. Thanks for this great instructable!!

Survival Life and the Family Protection Association is giving away free waterproof matches at www.WaterproofMatch.info - pretty nice giveaway if I do say so myself! :) My family are big survivalists and we've tried many different types of waterproof matches, but this free one has been the best by far. Great spark. I use very little pressure when striking. I get a good spark and a successful light almost every time. Unless you lose it, this will last a lifetime.

No, you cant do that unless you use strike anywhere matches. The " fne grit powder" on a modern matchbox is what is called White Phosphorus, and when combined with red phosphorus on the tips of matches and heat, it ignites a match.

That is why is suggested using a waterproof match striker from a waterproof matchbox if you really wanted it to be completely waterproof.

I only buy strike anywhere matches, but I guess I should have said that. To be honest, I think matches are pointless in an emergency kit. A bic lighter is waterproof, more compact, and can light hundreds of fires. And if I wanted to go waterproof and crush proof I would not use a candy container.

a bic lighter doesn't work in the snow. For freezing temperatures it can fail you. That's about the only time I wouldn't have one. I learned this from experience, and never would have believed it otherwise. It was cold, we had to use matches. 3 different lighters wouldn't do a thing.

I spent an hour looking online for any expert to claim that bic lighters don't work in snow. Nothing... But there are some problems with wet lighters requiring some babying. I still put a few matches in my emergency kits, but I still think they are pointless. I did find, in my search, that this is a heated debate in the survival world. I think people don't like bic lighters because they're not sexy. If I had a choice between a candy box with 300 matches in it or a bic, I will pick the bic. With that said, I like this idea because its smart, and people still light grills with matches.

I rarely go out camping anymore, but I'm with you on this one. I'd rather use a lighter, but I take matches too anyways. Of course then I'm always reminded of how I used to ask if anyone had a match and my dad would always say "yeah, your face and my butt" lol. 20 years of hearing that answer, I get a lighter, but it's still a cheap laugh for me. ;)